BROTHER'S KEEPER MISSING SCENES
by Patcat
Summary: My wild speculation


BROTHER'S KEEPER MISSING SCENES

The taxi's horn shattered her thoughts. Alex glared at the driver and waved her badge at him. This move produced a highly satisfying look of shock and dismay on the driver's face, and the taxi beat a hasty retreat. Alex allowed herself a brief wicked smile and returned her attention to her partner. He stood, roughly half a block away, talking to the dirty and disheveled man who was…his brother.

His brother. A shadow figure Bobby mentioned only in passing, usually with sadness and confusion. In the early days of their partnership, Alex—who couldn't conceive of going more than a day or two without contact with at least one member of her family and regarded even the most annoying warrior in her tribe with great affection—was puzzled by Bobby's lack of family. As they grew closer in their tentative dance, Alex realized that she and Bobby had very different experiences and definitions of family. For Alex, family meant a refuge, a warm place of escape and safety; for Bobby, family meant a prison, a cold, frightening place to escape. Several cases passed before Bobby revealed he had a brother, and even after these Alex wasn't certain if the brother actually existed or was a prop for Bobby's interactions with perps. Over time, Bobby dropped enough hints and details for Alex to accept the brother as real, and she gained a picture of an occasionally close but frequently troubled relationship involving a favored son and brother who threw away golden opportunities. After the brutal case involving Judge Garrett's intrusions and attacks Alex learned of some of the specifics of the brother's decline, but nothing prepared her to encounter him in a church's soup line. From the devastated look on Bobby's face she guessed that Bobby didn't expect it either.

She sat in the SUV; the engine was off and the cold beginning to seep in through its doors and windows. It nipped at her face and numbed her toes and fingers. She hadn't been surprised that Bobby knew someone on a soup line—Alex sensed that circumstances may have forced Bobby to have some knowledge of soup lines and food pantries in his past—but the revelation that the man was his brother stunned her. It was only after he asked about their mother that Alex thought she might have seen a bit of Bobby's shy charm in Frank.

She shifted uncomfortably. It was increasingly cold in the SUV, but she didn't want to start the engine. She watched Bobby speak to his brother. Everything about his movements and posture told her that her partner was struggling with great pain. She'd stepped aside quickly when she realized the two men needed to talk, but she was torn between giving Bobby space and wanting to help him. "And," she thought sadly. "There's your own damned curiosity."

Alex felt a stab of sympathy for Bobby. "It's not enough," she thought. "That his mother is so sick…That he has to deal with a new boss… His partner being…" She shivered. "Now he has to deal with a brother he may never have wanted to see again…"

She watched as Bobby moved closer to his brother. Bobby handed something to the other man, stepped back, pulled off his handsome, thick overcoat, and draped it over his brother. A lump grew in Alex's throat as she saw Bobby slip something into one of the coat's pockets. As he walked away from his brother, Bobby looked quickly and intently at a woman wearing worn clothes and carrying food from the church's kitchen. His shoulders slumped and body hunched over, Bobby strode towards the SUV. His suit coat offered little protection against the bitter cold.

"Oh, please," Alex thought as she turned on the engine. "Please help me…help me to help him…"

A blast of cold air announced his arrival as he opened the SUV door. It took a great deal of effort for him to haul his body into the passenger seat. He shivered as he fumbled with the seat belt.

Alex hesitated. "Ok?" she finally asked, fully aware he was definitely not ok.

He didn't respond for several moments. "Ok," he finally said. "Would be an exaggeration…but…but I'm dealing…"

"Do you need to stay?" She trod cautiously on shaky ground.

He shook his head. Alex pulled into traffic.

"Are you warm enough?" she asked gently. "Do you need to go by your apartment to get another coat?"

He stared out the window, and Alex feared he wouldn't answer her.

"Uh…no…I'm…It's all right…"

Silence returned for several blocks.

"Thank you," he said suddenly. "For waiting…"

"Not a problem," Alex answered. "Kept us from having to get back to the Squad Room…"

"He…He wanted to know who you were." His voice was very soft. Alex could just hear it above the engine and traffic. "He asked if you were my wife…I…I told him you were my partner…And he asked why I hadn't married you…"

The lump returned to Alex's throat. "Bet you set him straight." In spite of her best efforts, her voice shook.

"I…I told him…that you weren't that kind of partner…" He stared out the window for several minutes. "Truth is, Alex…"

Her heart joined the lump in her throat; Bobby only used her first name in moments of terrifying intimacy.

"I'm not sure there is a word for what you are to me." His voice wavered. "But whatever you…and I…are…I…I'm very grateful…Thank you…"

Alex swallowed. "You're…you're welcome…"

She glanced at him. He was huddled in the seat. "Are you sure you're warm enough?"

Bobby nodded, but Alex wondered if he'd really heard her. She drove several blocks

"I didn't abandon him."

She glanced at the man huddled in the SUV's passenger seat.

"I never thought that, Bobby. I'd never think that." She maneuvered the SUV past a taxi. She desperately tried to think of something to comfort him.

Silence hung between them for several blocks.

"I…I didn't even know he was in the city…" He seemed to want to console himself as much as explain to her. "I…I didn't know how bad it was…I didn't know he was on the street…" He stared out the window.

They reached the parking garage; Alex trembled slightly as she drove in. "Damn," she breathed.

"You ok?" Even in the midst of his pain, he was acutely aware of her.

"Yea." She sighed. "I just hate that I still do that…And nothing even happened to me in here…" She chanced a revelation. "I…Ross…and some others…told me what happened…when you thought it was me…" She slipped the car into an open spot and shut off the engine. Alex was about to open her door when Bobby spoke.

"Those…those were the worst moments of my life…Nothing else even comes close," he whispered.

Alex gripped the steering wheel; she knew Bobby's life contained many horrible moments. "Well," she said shakily. "I'm glad to be ranked so highly…" She reached for the door.

"Don't," he growled. "Don't…" His voice caught in his throat. He rubbed his eyes. "I…I'm sorry…I know that's how you deal with things…It's just…just…" He shivered.

She turned back to him. "You're cold," she said gently. "That was a good thing you did…giving him that coat…"

He looked up at her, and Alex nearly fell back from the force of the pain and fear and gratitude in his eyes. "Please, Bobby," she thought. "Trust me…Please let me help you…And please let me be able to help you…"

"It…it's a long story," he said. "Seems most things with my family are." He smiled weakly. "At least…I know why he wasn't answering my calls…"

"You're a good man," Alex said firmly. "You don't give up on people…You never do…maybe even when you should…"

He picked up his binder. "It's just…" His eyes focused on the dashboard. "I don't want you…especially you…to think that I…I'd leave him…I don't care about other people…but you…"

She put a hand on his arm, and he felt its warmth through her gloves and his clothes. "Like I said…you're a good man…I know that…"

"Ok…" He reached for the door but hesitated. "That's what matters," he said softly. "What you think…"

"Bobby…if you need to talk…anything…" She tried to keep open the small window he'd opened.

"I…I…" He stared at his binder. "Right now…It's…It's raw…I…I don't know what I need…What I want…But…But I know you're here…I won't push you away…I promise…"

"Ok," Alex said. He hadn't sprung the window open, but he hadn't shut it either. "Maybe when we get this case settled…"

Relief filled his eyes. "Yea," he nodded. "Maybe then…"

She was proud of the way he maintained his balance over the next few days. He was scrupulous about letting Ross and her know when he'd be unavailable, and he kept that time to a bare minimum. When he was at work, he was at work. He responded to her inquiries about his mother; she decided to avoid asking about his brother.

"I…I won't be in tomorrow," Bobby told her as they left the office on Saturday afternoon. "It…It's my Mom's birthday…"

"I don't plan to be here tomorrow…I was a little surprised to see you here today," she said gently. "Is your brother going with you?"

"I'm not holding my breath," Bobby said. Alex heard no anger in his voice, only a tired and sad resignation. "He hasn't called me…but I'll be at the church at the crack of noon tomorrow…"

She didn't hear from him that night or on Sunday. His silence didn't surprise her; his presence in the office when she arrived early Monday morning did. It was not so much that he appeared exhausted physically as he seemed buried inside his mind. He sat hunched over in his chair, his body seemingly collapsed, intently reading a file.

"Hey," she said softly. "How was your weekend? You got coffee?"

He roused from his dark study. "Uh…no…I'll…I'll get us some…I can use the break…" He stood and stretched. "I'll be back in a sec…"

"Ok…He doesn't want to talk about it," Alex thought. "It must have been rough."

She wasn't certain if she should press Bobby for details. The rush to the end of the case took the decision away from her; there wasn't a moment for personal discussions for the rest of the day. They'd just finished processing the unfortunate doctor when another detective approached their desks.

"Eames…Goren," he said, jerking his head back at one of the interview rooms. "Your reverend is on TV…"

"Couldn't happen to a nicer guy," Alex said as they watched Reverend Cal fight through a jungle of cameras, lights, and microphones. She shook her head. "This is one of those cases where I'm not sure who's the worst bad guy."

Bobby tilted his head towards her. He was about to answer her when Ross entered the room.

There was no question about whether Alex would go with him to the morgue. Bobby made no protest when she followed him out of the office or when she moved to the driver's seat of the SUV. In spite of his terrible silence during the drive, he seemed to welcome her presence.

Alex felt she had to say something. "It might not be him," she ventured as they neared the morgue.

He stared out the window. "It…It would explain why he didn't show up…"

"I'm sorry, Bobby." Her words were horribly inadequate to comfort him and express what she felt.

"It…It was my Mom's birthday…I really didn't expect him…She…She kept talking about him…Wanted him to be there…"

They reached the morgue. Alex opened her door; lost in thought, Bobby sat for a moment.

"She never opened my present," he said flatly.

He vibrated with tension as they neared Rodgers' lab. Alex had to run to keep up with him. He was controlled, but Alex sensed his nerves and muscles jumping beneath his well cut suit. The M.E. was her usual sardonic self, although Alex detected a rare warmth and gentleness in her normally brusque manner. Part of Bobby was still in his professional mode; he checked the body's feet before he moved to pull the sheet from its face. As he realized the body wasn't his brother's, Bobby's face became an agonized mix of pain, relief, and disappointment. He paced by the side of the steel table, his hands jabbing the air to emphasize his words. Alex felt nearly as lost as Bobby looked; she glanced at Rodgers and discovered that the M.E. appeared to be trying to hide her confusion and sympathy behind her professional face.

Bobby finally ceased his pacing and speaking; he carefully folded the coat over his arm and strode from the room. Alex followed him; he didn't rush from the morgue, but shuffled as he crossed the parking lot. He stopped at the SUV and turned to Alex.

"I…I…" He couldn't look her in the eyes. "I…I'm sorry…I…"

"It's all right," Alex said quickly with a confidence she didn't feel. "C'mon…let's get away from here…"

He slumped in the passenger seat; she had to gently remind him to put on his seatbelt. Alex studied him, and knew that for the next few hours she needed to protect him—to protect him from the job, from the people who should have loved him, from himself. In order to do that, she'd have to get past his elaborate, well and long constructed walls, and, at the moment she had no idea how to start that process.

"Damn," she said as she looked at the dashboard. "I need to get some gas." She glanced at Bobby. "You want some delicious gas station coffee? My treat."

He peered from behind his walls. "Uh…yea…"

As she pulled into the station, a plan formed in Alex's mind. "You stay there," she said gently and forcefully to Bobby. "I can pump the gas…makes me feel tough and you've been out in the cold enough lately."

"O…Ok," he said. He clutched his folded coat on his lap.

"He didn't fight me…" Alex thought as she filled the tank. "Didn't even argue with me about getting out to pump the gas…He's in bad shape…But maybe he won't fight me…"

The pump clicked off, and Alex went into the station. She quickly called Ross, who was enormously relieved to learn the body in the morgue wasn't Bobby's brother and was willing to give his detectives the rest of the day off.

"Yea," Alex said as she prepared two cups of coffee. "All thirty minutes of it…"

Ross chuckled. "Ok, but I'm also authorizing you to keep the car…" His voice grew concerned. "How is he, Eames?"

Alex stirred sugar into her coffee. "He's…well, ok is an exaggeration…but he's dealing with it."

She paid for the coffee and gas and walked back to the SUV. "Here," she said thrusting the cup at Bobby. "It's hot, at least."

He still couldn't look at her. "Why is it, Eames," he said, making an effort to stay in contact with her. "When I buy the coffee it's some exotic thing from Starbuck's, and when you do it's the ninety-nine cent special from the convenience store?"

"Timing," Alex smiled as she pulled her seatbelt on. "My excellent sense of timing."

He smiled weakly and stared down again at his coat. He wanted to talk to her, to confess to her, but the words hung in his throat. "She thinks I'm a good man…If she knew…If she knew…" he thought. He lifted the coat to his nose. There was a wisp of cigarette smoke, a touch of alcohol, a slight, acrid smell of urine. "That might not be Frank…He might have given…or sold…I'll need to get it cleaned…If I ever want to wear it again…" He ran his hand over the thick, soft wool. He'd brought the coat a little over two years ago to celebrate the anniversary of the day Alex became his partner. When he wore it for the first time to Major Case, Alex complimented him. "Nice coat," she said. "'Course, you usually wear nice stuff." Her words made him ridiculously happy, and he spent much of that day with a goofy smile on his face.

The SUV hit a bump, and Bobby realized he'd been lost in his thoughts for a long time. He stared out the window.

"Eames…Where…where are we? Where are we going?"

"Home," she replied forcefully. "My house…"

"But…work…" He was confused.

"Captain gave us the half hour…and the car," she answered. "You're coming home with me…You're going to get a decent meal and some rest…"

"But…but…you shouldn't…you don't…"

"Yes I should and I do." The knowledge that he at least couldn't jump out of the SUV gave strength to Alex's words. "Besides," she said gently. "I…I've missed you the past few days…"

The thought he might have hurt her in any way struck him silent. They were nearly at her house before he recovered his voice.

"I…I'm sorry," he whispered. "Between the case…and everything…I…I…"

She pulled into her drive. "It's ok," she said. "Like I said, I've just missed you."

He stared again at the coat. "She's missed me?" he thought. "She wants to be with me?" He tossed the coat into the back seat and followed her to the door.

"Where's your coat?" Alex asked as she unlocked the door.

"Left it." Bobby jerked his head back towards the car. "I…I…I just don't want to see it," he confessed. "I…I don't know what to do with it."

"Yea…I can understand that a little," Alex said. "I still don't know what to do with this place…"

A happy chirping greeted them as they entered the house.

"Hey, Sylvester," Alex said and carefully touched the bars of the bird's cage. "I'm glad to see you too."

In spite of his dark and confused state, Bobby smiled. "Sylvester." He shook his head. "You named your bird after a cartoon cat…"

"I wasn't going to name him Tweety…Hated that cute little blonde bird that pretended to be dumber than she was." Alex flipped through her mail.

"Was Tweety a he or she?" Bobby asked. "I'm not sure if we ever found out."

Alex sighed in exasperation. "Great, Goren…another thing I'll have to Google so I won't be up all night…"

Bobby smiled at her, and for a moment it felt the way it did before…before the Gages, before Bobby's Mom got so sick…before.

"Kitchen." Alex pointed with an envelope. "I'm going to make my sister's chicken dish…and you're going to help."

"Only to save us from food poisoning." He scurried to the kitchen to avoid her glare.

They spent the next few minutes chopping, carving, dicing, and gently joking. Alex was frequently amazed by how graceful Bobby could be when he needed or wanted to, and this was one of those moments. In spite of the small size of her kitchen, he moved skillfully around the space and was soon preparing more of the dish than her.

"I think," she said. "I'll just work on the salad." She moved to the refrigerator.

"Sorry." Bobby glanced up from the sauce he stirred. "I…I didn't mean to take over…"

Alex smiled at him. "Not a problem…You're a much better cook than I am…Especially if it involves anything more than popping something in the microwave."

When the dinner was ready, Bobby and Alex carried it to the dining room table. With nothing to occupy them, an unhappy silence settled between them. Alex poked at her food; Bobby forgot about it entirely.

"Hey," she finally said.

Bobby jumped as if he'd forgotten she was in the room.

"This…is good. I'll have to thank my sister for the recipe."

"You didn't eat much," Bobby said.

"More than you," she countered gently. "Oh," she thought. "Please…let me do and say the right thing…Let him let me…"

"I'm just not very hungry." He toyed with his fork.

"Ok," Alex said. "But no dessert…You didn't clean your plate…" She stood. "Want to help with the dishes?"

They wordlessly cleared the table and put the dishes in the dishwasher. Bobby stood in the kitchen doorway.

"I…I should go…I can take the SUV back…"

Alex took a deep breath. "Ok," she thought. "Time for battle." She turned to face him. "It's late," she said. "And it'll be even later by the time you get back to the city."

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Eames…"

"Besides," she said, surprised at the strength in her voice. "I've hidden the keys…and a cab would be really expensive, even if you could get one…"

Bobby stared at his feet. "It's not fair. You…you shouldn't have to…"

Alex walked to him. "You're my friend," she said simply. "Yes…I have to…I want to…"

He shook his head. "You…you don't know…I…"

She stepped closer to him; he raised his hands as a shield. She reached for and held them tenderly.

"Come with me."

He allowed her to lead him to the couch and seat him there. She sat next to him. "You can talk to me, Bobby. You know you can."

He rubbed his palms into his eyes.

She laid a hand on his back; she felt the nerves and muscles jumping beneath his skin. "You're a good man, Bobby…"

He began to rock back and forth. "No…No…I…I left them…What kind of man…I left them…"

"Bobby," Alex said softly. "Maybe…maybe…they left you?"

"No…no…I…I…left…" The words were choking gasps.

"I don't believe that," Alex said firmly. "You might have been driven away, but you'd never leave…"

His rocking was more violent; Alex made soft, soothing circles on his back.

"Tell me," she said gently but insistently. "Tell me what happened…"

He was losing his battle for control and started to shake, a shaking that rose from deep inside and ravaged him. He collapsed, his body falling over so that his head dropped in Alex's lap. She wrapped her arms around him. He struggled to contain the sobs boiling inside him; the result was a horrible, garbled choking.

"Let go, Bobby," Alex said. Her heart was breaking. "Let go…I'm here…I won't hurt you…I won't let anything hurt you…"

"No…no…Can't let go…Can't…" He stumbled over the words. "Can't let go…I'll never get back…Can't…"

"You'll get back," Alex said. Her head was near his; she spoke softly in his ear. "I'm here…I'll get you back…"

She smelled of lavender and the city; there was a faint but not unpleasant touch of garlic from the chicken. She was warm and soft and kind, and her tender words seeped in through the walls around him. The bricks softened, crumbled, and fell, and he cried. The sobs shook Bobby and Alex; he cried so violently that Alex feared he might fall from her arms to the floor. She held him and repeated the soft, soothing words to him.

"I'm here…Let go…It's ok…Let go…"

He heard the words at the fringes of his mind; they reached through his rage and fear and despair. He fell into the darkness, but he still sensed her, and he knew that she would keep her promise. She was there; she would get him back. He clung to the lifeline she held for him. He grabbed it and held it as she slowly, gently pulled him back.

He wasn't sure how long he'd been lost in his sobs, but when Bobby became aware of where he was he realized that his tears had soaked Alex's shirt. She still held him, still repeated the quiet words. He tried to pull away, but she gently restrained him.

"Ok?" she whispered.

"Uh…I…" His throat was very dry, and it was ridiculously hard to speak and think. "I…I'm sorry…I…"

"It's all right." Her voice was soft and warm, and he wanted to let it wrap around him. He tried again to pull away, but she still held him. "Easy," she said. "You can stay there…"

"My brother," he whispered. "Frank…" The words began pouring from him in a flood. "He was always handsome…Always charming…Bright…Incredibly bright…People think I'm smart…They don't know what smart is…He's…In school…Genius…He…He was…And a great athlete…Basketball, baseball, football…He could run, swim…Anything…First time he picked up a tennis racket he beat a kid who'd been playing for a couple of years…Everybody loved him…" Bobby swallowed. "I…I loved him…I loved just being around him…Just basking in his glow…I was so awkward…This big stumbling thing…I could barely talk to anyone…But he…he could…My Dad…" Bobby stuttered. Alex nudged him. "My Dad…spent all of his time with Frank…I…I didn't exist…When my parents split up, Frank…He lived with us, but he spent more time with Dad…I understood that…If I had to choose…I'd want to spend time with Frank, too…"

"Bobby…how could you…" Alex struggled to contain her rage at his family.

"You…you don't know…" He shifted in her arms. "You…you saw a little of it…Even now…He…I couldn't be angry at him…As angry as I was at my Dad…and especially my Mom…I couldn't be angry at Frank…And then I started to see…how hard Dad was on him…Everyone expected me to screw up…My Dad just…just tolerated me…But Frank…He had to be perfect…I…I was the one who took care of Mom…because Frank was the one who had the future…Who would amount to something…And then…"

Bobby moved stiffly to sit up; this time, Alex allowed him. She held Bobby's hands as he continued.

"My Mom…she had to be hospitalized…My Dad…He was willing to take Frank…but…but…" Bobby blinked. "I went into the foster system…I got lucky…really lucky…My foster parents…were really good to me…I realized…I had to save myself…I had to get away…I joined the Army…I was underage and my Dad had to sign the papers…and I could see…He was glad to be rid of me…" Bobby stared into space.

"Oh, Bobby…" Alex tried to find some connection with Bobby, but all she could see was the warm shelter of her family standing in sharp contrast to the cold darkness of Bobby's.

"I…I left…" Bobby said flatly. "I left them…"

Alex saw him trying to disappear behind the crumbled walls. "Tell me," she said. "What you did while you were in the Army?"

He stared at their hands. "I…I tried not to…"

"No," she said. "Tell me…Did you stay in contact with them? Did you send money home?"

"Y…yes…but…"

"What was your brother doing?" she pressed.

"He…he want to college…a couple of them…He…had scholarships…but there was trouble…but he got a degree…He got good jobs…But…When I came home on leave…There always seemed to be someone looking for him…He always needed money…"

"And you always gave it to him."

Bobby looked up at her. "Yes…"

"And your Mom?"

"She…she wasn't too bad…Off and on…But…" He pulled his hands away from Alex and put his head in them. "I…I got an urgent message from one of her caseworkers…I got compassionate leave…and when I got home…She was in an empty apartment…Frank…Frank had taken all of her stuff and sold it…to try to cover his debts…but she…Mom thought…He was helping her…She was very sick…And that's when…" Bobby swallowed again. "She went into the hospital…and she hasn't left…I…I left the Army and joined the force…I knew…I knew I could do the work and I'd be close to Mom…"

"And your brother?"

"Whenever he came around…It was bad…He'd want money from me…or my Mom…People would come looking for him…Not the sort of people you want around…Some of them…threatened me…threatened Mom…" Bobby took a deep breath. "Me…Not a big deal…but Mom…" He rubbed his hand across his face. "He stopped coming around…Before this week, the last I'd heard was that he was working in Las Vegas on some scheme to beat the casinos…I didn't know…that…that he was so bad…"

"I don't understand," Alex said. "Why does your Mom think…doesn't she realize…"

"Don't blame her." His voice was sharper than he intended, and he immediately regretted it. "I…I'm sorry, Alex…but…It happens…He's the one who's away…He's still…in her mind…the golden boy…I…I'm the one who has to say no…Who signed the papers that put her in the hospital…That went away…Who has her taking treatment…" He choked. "Treatment that's not going to help her…"

"Bobby." She took his chin in her hand and turned his face to her. "What is it?"

He stepped out from behind the debris of his defenses and stood lonely and vulnerable in front of it. "When I talked to her doctor…yesterday…I asked about some treatments…They're still in the experimental phases…And…He said her…her cancer was too advanced…" His voice was low, as if he was afraid saying the words would make them truer. "He said that, and her schizophrenia…She wouldn't get into a trial…And…I asked about the cost if we could get the drugs…and he said it would be $5,000 to $6,000 a month…out of pocket…"

Alex blinked. A detective's pay was good, but not that good.

"And then…then he said…that often…that sort of treatment…wasn't good for the patient…or the family…" Bobby blinked. "I know what he was telling me…that it wouldn't help…that…that by trying to do this…I'm the family he was talking about…I'm it…and it's not good for her…and for me…"

She began rubbing his back again. "Bobby." She searched for the words to help him. "Just because you let her go doesn't mean you're abandoning her. It…It could be the greatest thing you could do to show your love."

He looked at her. His great, dark eyes were filled with pain. "All…everything that I know…All the research I can do…Everything…It's not enough…I know…I know things…But I can't help them…I can't…"

She wrapped her arms around him, and he didn't fight the hug she gave him.

"The coat," he mumbled against her shoulder. "The coat doesn't hurt."

"What?" she asked in some confusion.

"I don't mind if he sold or gave the coat away…even if he got drugs or alcohol," Bobby said. "It's that he left my card in the pocket…that means he can't…or doesn't want…my help…"

She searched desperately for some way to help him. "You…you remember that aunt I told you about?" she said. "The alcoholic one my Dad wouldn't give up on?"

"Yea…"

"Like I told you, my Dad finally did…He said that if someone is drowning and doesn't want your help, you can't save them…And if that person is trying to drown you with them, you have to let go. You're always trying to save people, Bobby. You can't let them drown you."

There was a long silence, and Alex thought she might have lost him.

He sighed and relaxed in her arms. "Seems to me you throw out a lot of life preservers yourself."

She smiled. "A few…"

"I…I'll try to hang on," he said. "But I'm in a pretty stormy and deep ocean."

"I've been in a bad one lately too," Alex said. She brushed her lips across his hair. "But you got me through it…Together, we can get through it…"

"Ok," he said.

They held each other through the night. When their dreams shook them and the seas grew rough, they held each other above the waves.

END


End file.
